


High-Five Boyfriend

by VannaBananaNana



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Artist Castiel, Because I Don't Know What To Put Here, But y'all know that, Human Castiel, It's Why We Love Them, Let Me Know If You Have Suggestions For Tags, M/M, NOT a high school au, Not Beta Read, Other Than Dean and Cas Are Idjits, Parent Dean, Parent Dean Winchester, Single Parent Dean, Teacher Dean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-11 12:50:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7052374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VannaBananaNana/pseuds/VannaBananaNana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on a prompt from a FB Destiel group, which was based on a Tumblr post.</p><p>Basically, Castiel is a somewhat awkward high school student and one day a random boy in the hallway asks him for a high-five. Then the boy tells him they're dating now and calls him 'Baby.' It becomes a running joke.</p><p>And then it becomes an actual love story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this prompt: https://www.facebook.com/humansoftumblrcom/photos/a.595210907194561.1073741828.591801410868844/1056616544387326/?type=3&theater
> 
> I made Cas the sophomore and Dean the freshman, though, because I just don't like when Castiel is the younger one in the relationship.
> 
> This is only my third fanfic ever, and is not beta read, so I apologize in advance for any lameness.
> 
> I do have an outline for this story and it will be six chapters long, not including the prologue and epilogue. I will be attempting at least softcore porn in this one! I won't be abandoning this story, but I am not going to be consistent with updates. I apologize for that in advance, too. And if you, like me, prefer to read finished stories, you can always subscribe, and then you'll know when I finish it. :)

Castiel walked into his fifth period art class with an expression that was half confusion and half terror. Naturally, Balthazar and Meg, his so-called friends, laughed. He let them get the amusement out of their systems as he set up his workspace and pulled out his current project. Finally, Meg asked what was up.

 

“I don't know what just happened, but I think I might have a boyfriend now.”

 

Balthazar dropped the paintbrush he'd been holding. Castiel bent down to get it for him, and when he straightened back up, the blonde was still staring at him. “What?”

 

“What?!”

 

“Clarence, you better tell us the whole story.”

 

“I was walking to class when some freshman boy asked me for a high-five. I offered my hand and then he laced our fingers together and said, ‘We're dating now. See you later, Baby.’” The last part was accompanied with finger quotations, which almost always resulted in Balthazar snorting and Meg rolling her eyes. “And then he just walked away.”

 

Castiel had told this entire story without really looking at either of his friends, but their lack of immediate response had him concerned, so he tore his eyes from the canvas in front of him. Both of them were smirking, but that told him nothing. Smirking was their default expression.

 

The three of them were silent for almost a full minute, Balthazar and Meg smirking and Castiel looking increasingly annoyed, until finally he snapped. “Well?! Do you think I should be worried?”

 

That seemed to amuse the others all over again, because they started laughing once more. Balthazar nearly fell off his stool. Suddenly, Miss Milton was there, trying to look stern and failing spectacularly. “What's so funny, guys?”

 

“Oh, some freshman just claimed Clarence here for himself.” Unsurprisingly, Meg’s explanation wasn't satisfying Miss Milton’s curiosity. The art teacher looked to Castiel with a raised eyebrow. He sighed, resigned, and then told the story again.

 

“Ah, well,” Miss Milton replied with a smile. “Congrats on your new relationship, Castiel!” She winked, and just like that, she was gone. Off to answer someone on the other side of the room's question, while Castiel stared after her in abject horror.

 

Balthazar actually did fall off of his stool.

 

Meg knocked over an easel.

 

***

 

Eventually, Castiel figured out it was a joke. (Well, either that or the kid was some kind of crazy-ass stalker. Seeing as three weeks later, he still hadn't gotten any creepy messages or boiled rabbit gifts, he was rather comfortable with the joke theory.) It was amusing, so he decided to run with it.

 

Within a month, Castiel had learned that his “high-five boyfriend” was named Dean. He had a little brother that he was almost worryingly protective of, liked classic rock, loved pie, and was almost always surrounded by his two best friends--a gangly kid with a goofy smile named Garth, and a burly cajun boy called Benny.

 

The two boys never had an actual conversation, but for the next few years, anytime they passed each other one of them would call out a “Hey, Baby!” and the other would reply with a “Love you, Sugar!” And then they would smile and keep walking, whatever friends might be with either one rolling their eyes at the old joke.

 

There were a few times that one or both of the boys would have a real boyfriend or girlfriend, and they'd have to be clued in to the game. Most took it well (Castiel had heard one of Dean's girlfriends dumped him over it, though that was never substantiated), and some even played along (Dean and Crowley sniped at each other the entire length of Castiel's relationship with the latter).

 

For three years, it was Castiel's favorite running joke. After he graduated and moved away, it became a fond memory. A funny story he could tell about his high school years. He never really expected it to be anything else.


	2. The Set Up

To say that Castiel was having a rough year would be a gross understatement, and how Charlie thought that setting him up on a date was going to help ‘cheer him up’ was a mystery. He loved the girl dearly. She’d been one of his best (read: only) friends for the past several years. They’d met in his last year of art school and hit it off tremendously, immediately. She was one of very few people who had ever just ‘got him’ (as his brother might say). But, that didn’t mean  _ he _ always understood what was going through  _ her  _ head. In fact, he rarely understood it. Somehow, though, he always found himself going along with whatever the girl wanted.

Apparently, that included going on a blind date when he’d much rather be curled up in a ball on his brother’s couch, pantsless, book in hand. Instead, he was sitting at a table in a restaurant he would never have chosen himself, wearing itchy pants, with nothing to read except a menu full of shit he didn’t recognize, waiting for his date--who was ten minutes late. Dear lord, he hoped he wasn’t being stood up. His self-esteem could not afford that hit.    
  
He checked the time on his phone again, absentmindedly scratching his knee as he did so. His date was sixteen minutes late now. So much for Charlie’s assurances that he’d thank her when she gave him permission to marry her ‘unbiological brother.’   
  
Twenty-four minutes late. The servers were looking at him with pity. He should just leave. But, Charlie had promised to pay for his meal tonight (a large part of why he'd agreed to do this, actually). He wasn't letting her out of that just because the other party had stood him up.  _ Especially  _ since the other party had stood him up.   
  
He was engrossed in the menu once again, trying to figure out if any of these dishes with the fancy names were secretly burgers, when he felt the presence of someone finally sitting down across from him. The other man was already apologizing as he did so, but stopped short when Castiel looked up and they each realized at the same time whom they'd been set up with.   
  
“Cas?!” Dean--for it  _ was  _ Dean sat across from him--nearly shouted in surprise. Castiel couldn't believe it. He'd never expected to see Dean again. Not even when he'd moved back home a few months before. He had just figured Dean would have long moved on to bigger and better things.   
  
That wasn't to say it was an unpleasant surprise. Far from it, in fact. Castiel found himself smiling and turned it into a shy little smirk. “Hey, Baby.”   
  
Dean scoffed, but he was smirking now, too. “It’s been a long time, Sugar.”   
  
They were interrupted by a server. The only one he hadn’t seen giving him pitying looks earlier. He hadn’t really looked at Castiel much at all, actually. Even now, he was solely focused on Dean. “Can I get you anything to drink, Sir?”   
  
“What do you have on tap?” Dean asked as he pulled open his menu, simultaneously looking for the answers himself.   
  
“On tap?” The server looked confused.   
  
“Yeah, like...beer…. From a tap.”   
  
“Oh. We don’t serve beer.”   
  
Dean looked flabbergasted and Castiel took the opportunity to add in his own severe disappointment with the menu. “They don’t have burgers, either.”   
  
“ _ What _ ? What kind of place did Charlie send us to? Do you at least have pie?”   
  
“This is a three-star Michelin restaurant. We cater to a more refined palate,” their server announced rather rudely. He was definitely looking down his nose at them, now. “We serve wine, not beer. Beef bourguignon, not burgers. Crème brûlée, not pie.”   
  
Dean glared at the server for a minute, and then completely dismissed him, focusing all of his attention on Castiel as he stage-whispered conspiratorially. “You wanna go to a no-star restaurant where they serve real food?”   
  
“Please,” Castiel nodded enthusiastically. Both men rose from the table while their server stared at them in shocked indignation. “Sorry I held up this spot for so long,” Castiel offered with no real sympathy as he and his ‘date' left.

Once outside, Dean seemed to relax. Castiel hadn’t even realized how on guard the other man had seemed until he loosened his tie as they walked toward the parking lot. And of course that was when Castiel almost tripped over his own feet. He was too busy staring at the tiny amount of skin the other man had just revealed.

Dean reached out and helped him to stay upright, chuckling. “You gotta be more careful, Cas.” He couldn't respond. Dean's hand was not leaving his upper arm and the man was entirely too close. In high school, Dean had been cute. He’d had amazing green eyes, kissable lips, and a lithe little body. He’d been light years out of Castiel’s league, really. Ten years after high school, Dean was even more beautiful. The same green eyes, but now with a few wrinkles at the corners (which added--not subtracted--from his appearance, as they proved he spent a lot of time smiling). The same kissable lips, but now surrounded by stubble that Castiel really wanted to feel rubbing against the inside of his thighs. He was taller now, too, and a lot broader. No longer twink-like. Dean was definitely a  _ man _ .

And still far, far out of Castiel’s league.

“Hello? Cas, you okay?” Oh, he was being spoken to.

“I'm sorry,” he said, still standing way too close to the green-eyed beauty, but Dean didn't seem to care so why would he move away? “I'm still a little surprised, I guess.” Blatant lie. If Dean noticed, he said nothing.

“Yeah, I get it. I honestly thought I'd never see you again. I mean, I heard you moved away to California like  _ right _ after you graduated. You didn't even kiss me goodbye. Kinda rude, Cas.” That was definitely a teasing tone he heard, but there was something else underneath it. Maybe a little bit of real hurt? Or regret over a missed opportunity? Or maybe that was just Castiel projecting. Yeah, it was probably that.

“Well, if you're nice, I'll kiss you goodbye later tonight.” Wait. Did he just say that out loud? Shit! What happened to his whole projection theory? “I-I mean...if you still want to treat this like a...a real date. I mean, you know...now that we know who Charlie set us up wi-”

Dean interrupted his floundering by moving in impossibly closer, and forcing eye contact. “I do. Want this to be a date. And I’m pretty sure I’ll want a kiss at the end of it.”

“Really?” He just couldn’t get over how surreal this was.

With a head shake and a smile, Dean responded simply. “Cas. We were high-five boyfriends for three years in high school. I think that it’s about damn time we went on a real date.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have noticed I changed the number of chapters. I realized the outline I had laid out would result in two super long chapters while the rest would be short. So, I decided not to do that. XP
> 
> Also, Holy Chuck! I did not expect to get such response to my Prologue. Thank you!


	3. The First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I said up front that I couldn't make any promises about how fast any of this would be posted? This chapter kicked my ass. I rewrote every part a gazillion times. And the boys wouldn't shut the fuck up!
> 
> Also, apparently, screw having chapters of somewhat even length.
> 
> Ugh.
> 
> ...Whiskey, anyone?
> 
> ;)

They didn’t say much on the short drive to a new restaurant. Castiel didn’t know where Dean was driving them to, but he’d been promised a burger and he still had Charlie’s debit card with which to pay for it. Plus, Dean still drove (and apparently now owned) the car he’d had in high school. And Castiel had always secretly wanted to ride in it, and  _ feel _ the growl of the engine. (It was as good as he’d thought it would be.)

 

In no time at all, they were pulling into a different parking lot. Dean parked and stopped the car, but neither of them got out until they’d taken off their jackets and ties, and unbuttoned a couple of buttons before rolling up their sleeves. They were still fairly overdressed for the diner Castiel followed his date into. His date. Whose ass looked beyond amazing in those slacks.

 

It was the kind of place where you sat yourself, and it was surprisingly quiet for a Friday night. A young, brunette waitress was upon them almost the second they’d hit the corner booth. She set a menu down in front of Castiel and a beer in front of Dean. Apparently, he was a regular here. “Mr. Winchester! Who’s your hot friend?”

 

“My date’s name is Cas, Krissy,” Dean answered with a grin.

 

“Date, huh?” Krissy smirked and turned her attention to him. “You want a beer, Cas? Or something else to drink?”

 

“I’ll have a beer, thank you. Same as Dean.”

 

“Okay,” she nodded and turned her smirk back on Dean. “Are you gonna get your usual, even on a date?”

 

“What’s his usual?” Castiel interrupted, curious.

 

“A double meat, double cheese, bacon burger with a jumbo side of onion rings. And he’ll make a huge mess if he gets it.”

 

“Oh. Well, that’s the sign of a good meal.  _ I’ll _ have his usual. But, with fries instead of onion rings. No onions on the burger, either.”

 

“Same here.” Dean threw a, frankly ridiculous, leer in Castiel’s direction and he couldn’t help but laugh. It still sent a quick flame of anticipation straight to his dick, but nobody needed to know that.

 

“Ew,” she winced theatrically as she picked up Castiel’s unopened menu and left. It wasn’t long before she was back, silently setting a beer down in front of Castiel before heading off to take care of a group that had just come in. The two men hadn’t spoken while she was gone, and they continued to stare at each other somewhat awkwardly after she left the second time.

 

Finally, Castiel couldn’t take it anymore. “Um. So…” He took a drink of his beer to stall, trying to come up with something to say. What did people talk about on dates?

 

“I have a confession to make,” Dean interrupted his musings. “I haven’t been on a date in years. I don’t really remember how to do this.”

 

Castiel let out a loud sigh of relief. “I don’t, either,” he admitted. “I just got out of a long relationship, too. It didn’t end well and I’ve been...pretty low. That’s why Charlie wanted to set me up on this date. She said it would do me some good to ‘move on.’ ...She was  _ really _ careful not to tell me your name, though. Now that I think about it, I’m fairly certain she knew about...us.”

 

“Yeah. Same here. I mean, I wouldn’t put it past her.” They each took a drink before Dean continued. “How do you know Charlie anyway? She didn’t tell me. Just called you her best friend, which was...a little offensive, not gonna lie.”

 

“She called you her ‘unbiological brother,’ so I don’t think you should worry.” Castiel was quick to assure the other man.

 

“Oh. Cool.”  _ God _ , Dean’s grin was adorable.

 

Castiel mentally shook himself before he could get lost in his date’s dimples. “As for how we met. It was in college, actually. I was a senior and she was a freshman, but I put off the mandatory graphic art class until the last semester possible. And then I still needed a tutor. How do you know her?”

 

“We work together.”

 

“Oh,” Castiel nodded. Charlie was the art teacher at their old high school now. She was always telling him amusing stories about her students. “So, are you a teacher, too?”

 

It was Dean’s turn to nod. “Engineering.”

 

“He just won Teacher of the Year again,” Krissy interrupted as she set their food on the table, along with a new beer each. “Second time in a row.”

 

His date was blushing when Castiel looked back at him, impressed. “Congratulations, Dean. You must be an excellent educator.” The other man just shrugged, picking up his burger, but not biting in right away.

 

“What about you?”

 

“What about me?”

 

“What do you do?”

 

“Oh,” Castiel suddenly couldn’t make eye contact. “Um...well, I’m…. Currently, I’m not working.” He picked up his own burger and took a large bite, so as to have an excuse to not elaborate on that. And then the flavor of the food hit his taste buds and he groaned, embarrassment over his lack of employment temporarily forgotten. “Oh my  _ God _ ,” he managed after swallowing. “This is amazing!”

 

Dean just stared at him as he took his second bite, eyes wide. “Yeah...Benny’s burgers are the best around.”

 

“Benny? Like that cajun kid you always hung out with in high school?”

 

“Yeah, he owns this place…. You remember my friends?”

 

“Just Benny...and that other tall kid, with the doofy smile. And the weird name. Garth?”

 

He wasn’t really sure why the other man snorted at that. Had he gotten the doofy smile kid’s name wrong? He squinted at Dean until his date finally relented and told him what was so funny. “I just...I mean your name is  _ Castiel  _ and you think Garth is a weird name?”

 

“Actually, my name is James,” he corrected with a smirk.

 

“... _ What _ ?”

 

He finished his burger (it was a record time, even for him!) and took a drink before explaining, thoroughly enjoying the other man’s look of impatient surprise and consternation with a pleased expression of his own. Eventually, he took pity on Dean. “Castiel is my middle name. One of my brothers, Gabriel, likes to give people nicknames. When I was nine or ten, he declared that James just wasn’t ‘inspiring’ enough so he told everyone else to call me by my middle name. Because Castiel inspired many, many more nicknames. Better ones, according to Gabriel. And only Gabriel.”

 

“Everyone started calling you by your middle name just because your brother told them to?”

 

“Yeah,” Castiel shrugged. “It wasn’t the first time Gabriel had renamed someone in our family. Actually, I think he and Michael are the only two of my siblings that go by their real, first names. Because of Gabriel, Nicholas is ‘Lucifer,’ Raquel is ‘Raphael,’ Ezekial is ‘Gadreel,’ and Samandriel is ‘Alfie.’”

 

“I’m not sure if I should be more concerned that one of your brothers is called ‘Lucifer,’ that one of your brothers is  _ actually  _ named ‘Samandriel,’ or that you have six siblings. Please tell me you’re not the baby.”

 

“That would be Alfie.” Dean’s shoulders sagged in exaggerated relief. Castiel smiled beatifically. “I’m the second youngest. And Gabe and Lucy’s favorite…. Michael’s, too.”

 

“Great. You’re so lucky you only have my younger brothers to answer to. And Charlie.”

 

“I thought you only had one little brother.”

 

“Yeah, um...no, I’ve got two. Sam and Adam. Those are their real names,” Dean laughed. Castiel could tell there was an untold story behind this, but he let it go for now. After all, Dean hadn’t forced the issue bringing up Castiel’s lack of work again.

 

And it was looking like they’d have another date, anyway. They could talk about it then.

 

***

 

Conversation flowed easily the rest of their meal, and the hour and a half they sat in the booth after they were finished eating. Dean had insisted that they order pie, something that Castiel had been more than willing to agree to. (And the sounds Dean made while he devoured said pie would fuel some of Castiel’s more private moments for years to come.)

 

They had reminisced about their high school days, talked about Dean’s new high school days, and their interests. They discovered that their tastes in many things were similar--food, music, television (they both had a borderline unhealthy obsession with  _ Dr. Sexy _ ). In others, their tastes were very different--books, hobbies, cars (though Castiel did have a healthy enough love for ‘Baby’ that he didn’t offend Dean).

 

Eventually, it got busy enough that they felt guilty taking up space. Charlie’s debit card was used to pay for their meal and a nice tip for Krissy before the pair left, waving goodbye to their young waitress as they did. Dean had revealed that the girl had been in the very first class he taught and despite the fact that she’d given so much shit his first day that he’d almost quit, she was apparently his favorite student to date.

 

Once again they walked out into a parking lot, headed for Dean’s car. This time they were much more relaxed, having had a good meal, good conversation, and enjoyed good company. “Do you need me to drive you back to your car or…?” The other man let the question hang as they reached his Impala.

 

Castiel shook his head. “I walked to the other restaurant. My car is in the shop. Drive me home?”

 

“Of course,” Dean grinned and opened the door for him.

 

The ride was quiet, but pleasantly so. Castiel gave Dean directions to Gabriel’s house (where he’d been crashing since he moved back home--not that Dean needed to know that just yet) and they pulled up to the curb outside of it much sooner than either of them would have liked.

 

They stared at each for a minute or two, awkwardness returning. Gabriel must have hit the switch, because the porch light came on. Castiel could see that Dean wanted to ask who was in the house waiting for him, and he really didn’t want to talk about it just yet.

 

So, he kissed him.

 

It started out slow, despite Castiel’s sudden lunge across the front seat. A delicate, almost polite press of lips to lips. Then Dean put his hand on the back of Castiel’s head, twining his fingers through the dark hair he’d found, and Castiel was no longer capable of politeness. He surged forward even more, pressing Dean into the driver’s side door as he grabbed at the other man’s face and hips. His tongue forced its way into his date’s mouth and enticed the tongue it found there to play. When he pulled away, he met Dean’s eyes with his own, both green and blue completely glazed over. They were both breathing shakily, shy smiles tugging at the corners of both of their mouths.

 

The porch light started flicking on and off. Damn Gabriel! He had no doubt his brother had witnessed that and was going to tease him mercilessly. At least Dean didn’t seem interested in who was in his house anymore. They exchanged numbers, a second kiss--this time a quick peck on the lips, and Castiel got out of the car with a smirk and a “Later, Babe” from Dean.

 

He knew he was grinning like a lovesick teenager when he finally made it into the house, and that Gabe was getting ready to have a field day with it. He didn’t care. He was definitely going on a second date.

 

Although, shit. He really did have to thank Charlie now.


	4. The Surprise

As predicted, Gabriel had been damn near insufferable. By the next evening, Castiel was as close to committing fratricide as he'd ever been before. It hadn't helped that Gabe had called Lucifer and gotten him in on the teasing as well. To save himself the jail time, Castiel had eventually resorted to calling Michael. Hours later, Gabriel was still sulking about the verbal beat-down their eldest brother had given him.

 

“I just can't believe you  _ tattled _ on me, Cassafrass. What are you? Ten?” Gabriel pouted at him as he set a plate full of spaghetti in front of him.

 

“It worked,” he shrugged, twirling noodles around his fork. “You started it, anyway. You called Lucifer!”

 

His brother added a piece of garlic bread to each of their plates before taking his seat across the table. “Because he's the only other member of this family with my outstanding sense of humor. And-”

 

“You mean because he's the only other member of this family who is also an immature assbutt.”

 

“Oh and you’re so mature, Cassie?” Gabe asked around a mouth full of pasta. “Assbutt? Really?”

 

…”Shut up.” Castiel took an unnecessarily aggressive bite of his garlic bread and glared at the other man as he chewed.

 

Gabe glared back.

 

The impromptu staring/glaring contest was interrupted when yet another of Castiel’s brothers walked in. Gadreel didn’t even stop walking as he took in the scene, heading straight to the cabinet where the plates were kept. “I can’t believe you made grandma’s spaghetti and didn’t invite me over.”

 

Gabe pointed his fork at Gadreel as the other man joined them at the table, plate piled high with spaghetti and two pieces of garlic bread. “Whether I invite you or not, you somehow find your way here for dinner every single night.”

 

“I live next door! It’s not hard to find my way here.” Gadreel threw his older brother a shit-eating grin before turning to Castiel. “Michael tells me Gabe and Luci have been teasing you over a guy.”

 

He’d been smiling, quietly amused as he watched his brothers interact, but now Castiel let out a heavy sigh. “It was  _ one  _ date! Gabriel turned the porchlight on and started flicking it on and off! And then he told Luc and neither of them would drop it until I called Michael.”

 

“They were making out in the other guy’s car and then Casanova here practically floated in, looking like a lovesick teenager!”

 

Gadreel shot Gabriel a quelling look. “Good. Castiel deserves some happiness after what he’s been through this year.”

 

“But, he’s been checking his phone every two minutes. How am I supposed to just ignore--there! See, he’s doing it again!” Castiel hastily put his phone back down on the table and glared at both of his brothers defiantly. Gabe looked at Gadreel triumphantly, but his expression fell when the other man refused to back down. “Fine! I’ll stop. You can tell  _ Mom _ I’ll be good.”

 

“I’ll tell him you called him that.”

 

“You’re both tattle-tales! Get your own seconds,” Gabe whined as he took his own plateful of seconds out of the room. Castiel just shook his head as Gadreel started dishing him up another serving.

 

“By the way,” he said as he handed Castiel his plate, “Mika and I are coming over this weekend to help Gabriel clean out that extra room for you.”

 

“Good luck. He’s been promising to do that for me since I moved in months ago.”

 

Gadreel made to head out, obviously planning to take his plate home with him. He paused, hand on the knob to the back door. “Yeah, but now he has incentive. I mean, even Gabriel doesn’t want to watch you  _ play  _ with your new  _ friend _ .”

 

Fortunately, Castiel’s garlic bread managed to connect with his brother’s face before he could get all the way out the door.

 

***

 

Despite Castiel’s near-constant checking of his phone that day, Dean didn’t text him. He did call, though. They set up a second date, and then talked for over an hour. Castiel was walking on air.

 

The second date lead to a third and then the third lead to a fourth and so on. Before he knew it, they were an item. Things were so easy with Dean. Castiel had never experienced that before. His previous relationships had never been simple. It was refreshing. And amazing. And terrifying. He kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

It didn’t take long.

 

***

 

A little over a month into his relationship (his  _ real  _ relationship) with Dean, Castiel still didn’t know what he was going to do now that art wasn’t an option. He was getting sick of sponging off of Gabriel, though, so he finally took Michael up on his offer of a part-time temp job in his firm. After they found out about that, Lucifer and Raphael had also offered Castiel part-time jobs at their businesses. Castiel honestly didn’t care for any of the jobs his siblings gave him, but between the three of them he was going to be able to give Gabe rent money and not to have to ‘borrow’ from one of his siblings when he had a date with Dean.

 

In fact, that was why he was currently working a last-minute Saturday lunch shift at Lucifer’s hole-in-the-wall pub. Castiel wasn’t the best server, but he did well enough to get decent tips and by the end of the rush, he had enough to pay for a particularly nice date. Dean wouldn’t have to pay for anything, and that was very exciting to Castiel. He never wanted to be the one in the relationship who was ‘taken care of’ again.

 

“What time is Dean picking you up?” Luc was wiping down glasses at the bar while Castiel rested on a bar stool, waiting for Charlie to arrive so that they could have a late lunch of their own before he headed back to Gabe’s to get ready.

 

“Seven-thirty. He wants to do dinner and a movie, but I think I’m going to surprise him with something a little...bigger.”

 

“Think that’ll finally get you into his pants?”

 

Castiel sighed. Why was his sex life so interesting to his family? It’s not like he wanted to hear about any of theirs! He was about to admonish his brother when his phone buzzed with an incoming text message. It was from Charlie, informing him that she couldn’t make it to their lunch date because she was sick. He texted her back and wished her a speedy recovery before turning his attention back to Luc.

 

“Charlie’s sick, so I’ll just take my lunch to go.” His brother nodded and shouted his order back to the cook before heading over to the other end of the bar to tend to someone who had just walked in.

 

As he waited for his lunch, Castiel couldn’t help but think about what Lucifer had said. It was true that he and Dean hadn’t gotten past kissing and a couple of steamy makeout sessions in the Impala. He hadn’t had a relationship that lasted this long without sex since high school. And he remembered the rumors about how fast Dean was back then. He didn’t like it, but Castiel was a little confused. He knew that Dean wanted him as much as he wanted the other man--he’d felt his erection pressing into his leg whenever they made out--but something was holding him back. Castiel had even invited Dean in the last time they’d gone out, and he was sure that his boyfriend was going to say yes, but then he’d begged off, saying something about early plans the next morning.

 

Frankly, it was starting to get a little...frustrating.

 

However, if Dean really wanted to take it slow, Castiel would deal with it. Maybe none of his other relationships worked out because they’d jumped into bed too soon. God knew, sex  _ destroyed  _ his last relationship.

 

His musings were cut short by the buzz of a call coming through. Castiel smiled when he saw that it was Dean. “Hey Baby,” he answered.

 

“Hey Sugar,” came the reply.

 

“I was just thinking about you. I worked an extra shift for Luc today and I have a lot of tips. I was thinking I could treat you tonight. I was thinking we could go to that really expensive exotic burger place you wanted to try.”

 

“That’s sweet, Cas. And I would love to, but...” Uh-oh. That was not a good tone he heard in Dean’s voice. That was the ‘we need to talk’ tone. Not the ‘awesome’ tone he was going for.

 

“But?” What had he done? Was he being too pushy?

 

Dean sighed, and Castiel’s heart clenched. Was he being broken up with already? “I was actually calling to cancel tonight. I don’t want to! But, I’m sick and I just don’t want you to catch it, too.”

 

Castiel breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, I’m sorry to hear you’re not feeling well. Did you catch whatever Charlie has?”

 

“Uh, yeah. Probably. It’s not fun.”

 

An idea occurred to him. “You know...I have a ferocious immune system. Haven’t been sick in years. I could come over and take care of you.”

 

…

 

“Dean?”

 

…”I appreciate the offer, Cas. I do. But, I’m gonna be fine and I really don’t want you to see me like this. I’ll call you tomorrow if I’m feeling better, okay?”

 

“Oh. Okay.”

 

“Later, Baby.”

 

“Later, Sugar.”

 

Castiel hung up the phone and stared at it forlornly for a minute. He didn’t even notice that Lucifer had come over with his lunch and was looking at him quizzically until the other man spoke. “What’s wrong, Cassie?”

 

“That was Dean. He’s sick, so he canceled our date tonight.”

 

“He’s sick, too?”

 

Castiel nodded. “He said he probably got it from Charlie. She’s like his little sister, you know.”

 

“Hm. Well, why don’t you just go over there and take care of him? You never get sick, you little freak.”

 

“I offered. He said he didn’t want me to see him like that.”

 

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Cassie, you’re not gonna let that stop you!” Luc picked up the boxed lunch he’d only just sat in front of his little brother and set it out of reach. Then, he yelled back at the cook again, this time for chicken noodle soup to go. When he turned back to Castiel, he smiled. “You need to show that man you don’t care if he looks gross when he’s sick or whatever. You’re gonna take care of him, anyway.”

 

That was a brilliant idea! “You’re right. I know his address. I can just surprise him with soup. Maybe some cold meds. Juice. A movie.”

 

“Tissues,” Lucifer added.

 

“Those, too.” Castiel jotted down a quick list of things to buy before beaming at his brother. “Thanks for the plan, Luci!”

 

“Don’t call me that.”

 

***

 

He’d rushed off to the store and picked up the other items on his list before returning to Lucifer’s pub to get the chicken noodle soup. Less than an hour later, he was pulling up to Dean’s and unloading his ‘supplies’ before heading up to the door. He’d never been inside of the house before, but Castiel had picked Dean up for a couple of their dates. He was kind of excited at the prospect of finally getting to see the interior.

 

Castiel rang the doorbell and waited with a smile on his face and a ‘surprise’ on the tip of his tongue. But, it wasn’t his boyfriend who answered the door.

 

It was a little girl. A little girl with Dean’s eyes.

 

What?

 

“Hello?” she greeted questioningly from the other side of the screen door.

 

Dean had never mentioned a daughter. Or any children. Perhaps she was a niece? With those eyes, there was no way they weren’t related somehow.

 

“Uh, hi. I’m here to see Dean?”

 

The girl looked him up and down for a few seconds and Castiel got the distinct impression that she was sizing him up. Finally, she turned a little and shouted for Dean. Except that what she actually shouted was, “Dad! Some guy is here for you!”

 

_ What?! _

 

Castiel unconsciously took a step back, and then another. He was just about to turn around and bolt. Clearly, he had the wrong house. Somehow. But, then...there was Dean, coming into view from around a corner, wiping his hands on a towel and asking the girl--his  _ daughter _ , apparently--who was at the door.

 

Both men froze when Dean spotted him.

 

“Cas?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to add those damn tags right away, because I didn't want to spoil it. Surprise!
> 
> Also, Castiel's brothers are hard to write and I don't know what possessed me to write this from Cas' point of view.


End file.
